Da Vinci Code - save your money and read the book instead

He Said:

SHE and I joined two friends opening night, one of whom hadn't read the book, in the 2nd row just off to the left and dug into our popcorn as the lights dimmed and the Dolby Digital surround sound roared to life.

And so began my Da Vinci Code experience - 150 minutes that I would love to have back. This was a rare occassion where the movie lived up to the hype. In this instance, that wasn't a very good thing.

The reviews were bad. I knew that going in. But I was still hoping to be surprised. The bad dialogue and Tom Hanks moptop I was expecting. The book was an entertaining read, so I was hoping for a fun translation to screen. Sadly, that would not be the case.

Bottom line: Read the book instead. But if you insist on wasting 2.5 hours of your life, run fast to the cineplex. But expect to be disappointed. SHE and I both were.

To learn what we really thought... and for more HE SAID SHE SAID Movie Reviews, go here.

The Countdown to Machu Picchu begins...

SHE SAID:

20 days to go! I am so excited, I can hardly stand it. The thought of hiking 30 miles to a lost Incan city in Peru with the one person I absolutely love to pieces makes me have perma-grin. I literally can't stop smiling!

He Said: The rules of life

A smart man once told me to never forget and never lose your standards. The trick to life is that most people get bored or just fed up and end up caving to peer pressure or baby/marriage syndrome and just follow all the other lemmings off the cliff. So stay true to yourself and always look for the best – because chances are you’ll find it (and when you’re least expecting it). That’s the funny thing about life.

She Said: Adopting a puppy

So we decided to add another puppy to our family. How could we say no to those little brown eyes and white dipped paws? What I didn't realize was that my morning ritual of 'hitting the snooze button until I have to rush around frantically to get to work routine' would no longer be a reality. It seems that puppies like to wake up around 5am, which is apparently prime playtime.

So my lazy sleep-in days are over and a new dawning, literally at dawn, has begun. I guess it is kind of good that I get up earlier, I feel like I actually have a full day instead of trying to cram everything in at 7pm when I get home from work. Not to mention it is good practice for when I want to have a kid one day and great birth control for now. haha! AND MAYBE, just maybe, I will actually make it to the gym one morning since I am already up.

The first week was really tough, from puppy potty training pads to hours & hours of Puggle #2 crying in her crate at night. Week 2 got a little better, although the poor baby got a bacterial infection and a VERY bad tummy ache. But with that behind us, now she is actually making it outside or to the potty pads. She has even started recogzing her name.

Even though my schedule has been completely rearranged and is so chaotic, there is nothing better than coming home to a wet nose and wagging tail. Except if there are two:)

Rules for getting your game back

Admit it. Whether you're recently single or pining for a lost love, chances are you've slipped up. Perhaps the night began bar hopping with friends, as one friend recently confessed. But as the drinks pour on and the night continues, you suddenly find yourself dialing an Ex-Girlfriend or Ex-Boyfriend or former One Night Stand. The inevitable happens, and the next morning begins with "Uh oh." We've all been there. And yet there a million ways to handle the immediate fallout.

HE SAID:
The sex is over. Hopefully it was good. Time to get you out of there.

Rules are different if you're a guy. Rather than blog about what the guy should do, here's my advice for the GIRL. Immediately after parting ways, delete the guy's name out of your cell phone. Write it down on paper, put it in a drawer somewhere next to a photo of Grandma and begin the long withdrawal process. This removes the temptation to dial drunk next Girls Night Out. Even if you know it by heart, you're likely to dial the wrong number (or Grandma by mistake) next time you're all drunk up. But that's for next time. Let's talk about immediate damage control.

What's done is done. If regret was your first instinct the morning after, then DO NOTHING! Perhaps you really like the guy, but you're afraid he'll think you're too easy. Maybe you're trying to get this guy to commit and now you're scared you killed any chance of that. Again, DO NOTHING!

Most guys are going to call or email you within 24 hours. The reason we do this is simple: it's called Man-Guilt Syndrome. No matter how big the player or innocent his intentions, he's going to want to check in with you if only to reaffirm all is cool, he's really a nice guy, he's the one in control and you're his puppy. What this does is set the stage for him to slip away and disappear with no strings attached. But if you DON'T RESPOND to the inevitable phone call or email, suddenly he'll begin to wonder if perhaps he is YOUR puppy. And having survived the dating scene for more years than I care to remember, chances are that is exactly the case.

And so, if you're still into this guy and follow my advice, I guarantee by the end of the week he'll be calling you begging for a "real" date. Dinner, movie, wine... maybe sex. But YOU'LL be in control. And suddenly that drunk dial would have become something a lot more.

NOTE: Exempt from Man-Guilt Syndrome are serial daters, relationship whores and psycho stalkers. Those probably require a restraining order.

He Said: Rescued another puggle

We made a spur of the moment decision last week to rescue another dog. Same breed as the first - puggle - except she's a baby at 10 weeks. When we adopted PUGGLE #1, we got lucky because he was a bit older and already housetrained. "Luck" for PUGGLE #2 is if she goes potty (I hate that word) NOT on the furniture.

I've heard layering the floor with newspaper is a good way to train a new puppy. What I didn't expect was that I'd have to change my newspaper subscription. For some strange reason, PUGGLE #2 will only go poop on a copy of USA TODAY. But if I lay down the Chicago Tribune, she just sits there and stares at me. I smell trouble, especially considering the dog doesn't even know her own name yet.

So now the balance of power has shifted in the He Said She Said household. Poor PUGGLE #1 was hoping for a brother. He spent the entire car ride home with his face buried against the back seat. The dog wanted nothing to do with SHE, who was up front cuddling with PUGGLE #2. Jealousy and resentment burned in his eyes. And if the dog has learned anything from me, he'll milk it for all it's worth and for as long as he can.

Hey, I'm not proud I taught my dog to manipulate. He just happens to be good at it.

Original Unaltered Star Wars Trilogy on DVD!

All I can say is... ABOUT TIME! According to the press release below, we can now remember Han Solo as he was first introduced to the world. The baddass renegade who shot Gredo FIRST! If you're a Star Wars fan, it's time to get your geek on. Click here for details. Source: Lucasfilm

He Said, She Said: Marriage is what you make of it

SHE SAID:
So I just read HIS posting from April 29th and it kind of rubbed me the wrong way.

Come on... just because all of your friends are married now doesn't make them boring. Granted they may not be the most exciting peeps I have ever met, but that has been consistent since when i met them BEFORE they were married. They have always been into trivia pursuit and wine/cheese.

My thoughts... GROW UP!

When it comes to marriage there are basically two options:
1- you can either get married, have kids, buy a house with a white picket fence and never go on dates anymore...

OR ....

2- you can continue being yourselves and grow together. This is the chance to start a new chapter of your life, any way you would like it! If you were cool to begin with, you aren't going to all of a sudden become a nerd. If you traveled before you were married, you are now going to have someone to travel with and share your adventures with not stop it completely.

In fact, why don't we talk about my married friends... One of my best girlfriends is married to a bass player in a band and has a one year old child. Do they sit at home and play lame board games?? No, they travel across the country, across the world for that matter. They just got back from a 2 month stay in California and are heading to Spain in the fall for a few weeks. Now that is what I am talking about.

In fact, take my parents for instance. My father was in the Air Force and stationed in Turkey when I was a little girl. Within the first three years of my life, I traveled to Turkey, Israel, Greece, Germany & the US. It was so cheap to fly out of Adana, Turkey that my parents wanted to take me on as many vacations as possible while we had the opportunity.

So don't blame someone's personality on being married and don't be resentful that they have grown up and moved on to the next stage in their lives. That is what THEY have chosen for themselves & they are happy.

Married friends are boring

HE SAID:

It's Monday, I’m tired and I want my weekend back. Didn’t get to see a movie this weekend and that was one of my main goals. Pretty mellow actually. Spent Saturday night at a friend’s place celebrating their birthday. Do you have any friends who you consider to be “friends” but really bore you to death??

It seems like all my friends are getting married or having kids or buying homes or whatever… and a bunch have all clustered together to talk homebuying and furniture and eat cheese and play scrabble. Ugh! How dull… every time I turn to SHE and say, “if we ever turn into this please shoot me.” I mean, the least they could do is offer up some uber cool games like Chutes & Ladders or Phase 10. Now THAT would be a rockin’ good time…